Electrorheological valve

ABSTRACT

An ER fluid valve includes a housing and a plurality of parallel flow passages through the housing each defined by spaced electrodes at least one of which is controllable independently of other flow passages electrodes. A controller is configured to selectively establish electrical fields for all of the independently controllable electrodes to close all of the flow passages to ER fluid flowing through the housing. By removing the fields from all of the independently controllable electrodes, all the flow passages are open to the ER fluid flowing through the housing. By establishing fields for select independently controllable electrodes to close their associated flow passages and by leaving other flow passages open, restricted flow of the ER fluid through the housing is accomplished to vary the flow rate through the housing.

GOVERNMENT RIGHTS

This invention was made with U.S. Government support under Contract No. W911NF-08-C-0055 awarded by DARPA through the Army Research Office. The Government has certain rights in the invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention relates to field responsive fluid valves and manifolds including electrorheological fluid technologies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a typical electrorheological (ER) fluid valve, two closely spaced electrodes establish an electrical field between them to stop the flow of the ER fluid through the valve as the ER fluid becomes highly viscous in the presence of the electrical field. Removing the electrical field between the two electrodes allows the ER fluid to flow again through the valve. Cylinder type and plate type ER valves are known. See Han, Y-M; Sung, K-G; Shohn, J. W.; and Choi, S-B, “Performance Comparison of Electrorheological Valves with Two Different Geometric Configurations: Cylinder and Plate”, J. Mechanical Engineering Science, Proc. IMechE Vol. 223 Part C: pages 573-581 incorporated herein by this reference. See also Zuan, Michael, “Design of Cylinder Drives Based on Electrorheological Fluids,” International Journal of Fluid Power 7 (2006) No. 1, pp 7-13.

One advantage of using an ER valve as opposed to a traditional hydraulic valve lies in the simplicity of the valve. Two electrodes with a gap between them and the application of a voltage across the electrodes is required as opposed to moving parts associated with servo valves. An ER valve can also be made very small. Additionally, the ER effect can be made to occur quickly, within ten milliseconds resulting in fast response times and high frequency operation.

A typical ER fluid valve can be either fully open or fully closed. In order to control the flow rate through an ER valve, pulse width modulation of the electrical field in the valve can be used or variable voltages can be applied to the electrodes. A variable voltage can be used, but can be difficult to generate, especially in small-scale systems.

Traditional servo valves can increase the weight of a system, are expensive, and can include high precision components. On the other hand, controlling the flow rate of fluid through an ER valve can be challenging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention, in one preferred embodiment, is to provide a new ER valve which is configured to control the flow rate through the valve without the need for variable voltages and to provide a new ER fluid manifold as an alternative to a servo valve. The subject invention results from the realization, at least in part, that one preferred embodiment of a variable flow rate ER fluid valve is effected by defining multiple flow passages through a valve housing each with its own independently controllable electrode (or electrode set) so all the flow passages can be open or closed or select flow passages can be open while select flow passages can be closed.

The subject invention, however, in other embodiments, need not achieve all these objectives and the claims hereof should not be limited to structures or methods capable of achieving these objectives.

The invention features an ER fluid valve comprising a housing and a plurality of parallel flow passages through the housing each defined by spaced electrodes at least one of which is controllable independently of other flow passage electrodes. A controller is configured to selectively establish fields for all of the independently controllable electrodes to a) close all of the flow passages to ER fluid flowing through the housing, to b) remove the fields from all of the independently controllable electrodes to open all the flow passages to the ER fluid flowing through the housing, and to c) establish fields for select independently controllable electrodes to close their associated flow passages for restricted flow of the ER fluid through the housing.

In some versions, all the flow passages share one continuous electrode. In one such example, the independently controllable electrodes of each flow passage are lengthy conductive members (e.g., traces) separated from adjacent conductive members by an insulator and closely spaced with respect to the continuous electrode. In another example, the independently controllable electrodes are arranged in a grid and spaced from the continuous electrode. In this version, the housing can include multiple ports (e.g., four or more) and the controller is then configured to energize electrodes in the grid between select ports. Typically, each grid electrode includes a conductive member surrounded by an insulator. For these and other examples, the flow passages may be in the same plane. But, in still other examples, the flow passages are in different planes. One such example includes flow passages stacked radially. In still other versions, the independently controllable electrodes are rectangular, square or irregularly shaped.

The controller can be configured to selectively apply a voltage to the independently controllable electrodes while the electrode spaced therefrom remains grounded. Alternatively, the controller can be configured to selectively ground the independently controllable electrodes.

One ER fluid valve in accordance with the invention features a first substrate including spaced individually controllable electrodes defining multiple flow passages for the ER fluid, the flow characteristics of which are altered by an electrical field. Another electrode is spaced from the first substrate for establishing multiple electrical fields with the individually controllable electrodes to open and close select flow passages. The spaced individually controllable electrodes and flow passages may extend continuously along the first substrate which is typically made of an insulated material (and wherein the individually controllable electrodes are spaced conductive traces on the insulated material). Or, the electrodes in each flow passage can include multiple grid electrodes.

A flow manifold in accordance with the invention includes a housing including a plurality of ports, a first substrate associated with the housing including a plurality of independently controllable electrodes defining multiple flow passages between the plurality of ports which can be selectively opened and closed, and a second substrate associated with the housing including at least another electrode spaced from the independently controllable electrodes. Typically, a controller is configured to selectively control the independently controllable electrodes to established electrical fields blocking select flow passages since the ER fluid becomes highly viscous in the presence of the electrical fields.

The invention also features a method comprising defining a plurality of flow passages via multiple spaced electrodes at least one of which for each flow passage is controllable independently of other flow passage electrodes. All the flow passages are closed to ER fluid flowing through a housing by establishing an electrical field for all of the independently controllable electrodes. All of the flow passages are open to ER fluid flowing through the housing by removing the electrical field from all of the independently controllable electrodes. The flow of ER fluid through the housing is restricted by establishing electrical fields for select independently controllable electrodes to close their associated flow passages when the ER fluid in those flow passages is rendered highly viscous.

One method in accordance with the invention features providing on a first substrate a plurality of independently controllable electrodes defining multiple flow paths between a plurality of ports which can be selectively opened and closed, including at least another electrode spaced from the independently controllable electrodes, and associating the first and second substrates with a housing configured to include the plurality of ports. By selectively controlling the independently controllable electrodes to block select flow passages in the housing, the method selectively opens and closes select ports of the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic three dimensional end view of a prior art cylinder type ER valve;

FIG. 2 is a schematic three dimensional end view of a prior art plate type ER valve;

FIG. 3 is a schematic three dimensional exploded view showing the primary components associated with one embodiment of a new ER valve in accordance with an example of the subject invention;

FIG. 4A is a schematic end view showing the ER valve of FIG. 3 with a voltage applied to approximately half of the valve electrodes resulting in one flow rate through the valve;

FIG. 4B is a schematic end view of the valve show in FIG. 3 again with a voltage applied to approximately half of the electrodes but now resulting in a different flow rate than the configuration shown in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5 is a graph of flow rate as a function of a number of open flow passages for an example of an ER valve in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic three dimensional top view showing a prototype ER valve in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic three dimensional end view showing another embodiment of a new ER valve in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 8A is a schematic top view showing an example of a valve manifold with electrodes in a grid-like pattern in accordance with still another example of the subject invention;

FIG. 8B is a schematic view showing several different flow paths obtainable for the manifold of FIG. 8A;

FIG. 9A is a schematic top view showing an example of a manifold with a flow passage therethrough defined by grid electrodes;

FIG. 9B is a schematic top view of the manifold shown in FIG. 9A except now the flow rate for the flow passage shown in FIG. 9A is reduced;

FIG. 10 is a schematic top view showing an example of an ER valve/manifold with uniquely shaped electrodes; and

FIG. 11 is a diagram of an example of the controller shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. If only one embodiment is described herein, the claims hereof are not to be limited to that embodiment. Moreover, the claims hereof are not to be read restrictively unless there is clear and convincing evidence manifesting a certain exclusion, restriction, or disclaimer.

FIG. 1 shows a prior art cylinder type ER valve 10 with inner electrode 12 and outer electrode 14. An electrical field established between electrodes 10 and 12 increases the viscosity of an ER fluid flowing in annular space 16 between the electrodes and stops the flow. Removing the electrical field allows the ER fluid to flow again. FIG. 2 shows a prior art plate type ER valve 20 with electrodes 22 a, 22 b, and 22 c separated by insulators as shown. Plate 22 b is connected to ground and plates 22 a and 22 c are connected together to a common voltage source. When the voltage source is switched on, ER fluid will not flow between the plates. When no voltage is applied to plates 22 a and 22 c, the ER fluid will flow. As noted in the Background section above, controlling the flow rate through the prior art ER valves can be problematic in some instances.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a new ER fluid valve 30 with a housing defined by electrode 32, substrate 34 (typically printed circuit board material), and spacers/walls 36 a and 36 b. A plurality of parallel flow passages through the housing such as passages. A, B, C, and D (typically there are 10-20 or more flow passages) are established between the input port and the output port. Each flow passage is defined by spaced electrodes of at least one of which is controllable independently of the other flow passage electrodes. That is, flow passage A is defined by electrode 38 a on substrate 34 (e.g., a conductive trace) and electrode 32; flow passage B is defined by electrode 38 b on substrate 34 and electrode 32; and flow passage C is defined by electrode 38 c on substrate 34 and electrode 32. Each lengthy conductive trace member 38 in this example is spaced from its neighbors and insulated therefrom via the material of printed circuit board 34.

Controller 40 is configured to selectively establish an electrical field for all of the independently controllable electrodes 38 a-38 d to close all of the flow passages to ER fluid through the housing defined by substrate 34, continuous top electrode 32, and spacers 36 a and 36 b. Controller 40 can also selectively remove the electrical field from all of the independently controllable electrodes 38 a-38 d to open all the flow passages A-D through the housing. Controller 40 is also configured to establish electrical fields for select independently controllable electrodes 38 a-38 d to close their associated flow passages (A, B, C and/or D) for restricted flow of ER fluid through the housing.

Thus, if no voltage is applied to any electrode, the valve is fully open and low viscous ER fluid flows along flow passages A-D. If a voltage is applied to all electrodes 38 a-38 b with electrode 32 grounded, the valve is fully closed since the ER fluid in each flow passage A-D is highly viscous in the presence of the electrical fields. The flow rate of the ER fluid through the valve is controlled by applying a high voltage to only select electrodes as shown in the examples of FIGS. 4A and 4B. In FIG. 4A, all of the electrodes on one side of the valve are energized resulting in one flow rate and in FIG. 4B, again, about one half of the total electrodes are energized by energizing every other electrode but the result is a lower flow rate then was the case with FIG. 4A. In other examples, only electrode 38 a, FIG. 3 has a voltage applied thereto and thus flow passage A is blocked by the high viscosity ER fluid in flow passage A but flow passages B and C remain open to low viscosity ER fluid flowing through the housing. This way, flow passages A, B, and C can be selectively opened and closed (e.g., A open, B and C closed; A and B open, C closed; A and C open, B closed; and the like) resulting in variable flow rates through the valve. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, the electrical fields shown may all have approximately the same strength.

FIG. 5 depicts how the flow rate through the valve is a function of the number of “open” flow passages (i.e., flow passages whose spaced electrodes do not have an electric field applied to them). As noted above in respect to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the flow rate is a function not only of how many flow passages are open but also how close the open flow passages are to each other.

FIG. 6 depicts a prototype ER valve with 19 flow passages. Substrate 34 is shown as are spacers/walls 36 a and 36 b. Conductive traces 38 can also be seen. The cover of the valve would typically be a conductive electrode as shown in FIG. 3. Various technologies can be used to fabricate this valve including printed circuit board methodologies, MEMS technology (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,995 incorporated herein by this reference), and the like. The new ER valves can be used to control an actuator as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,884 incorporated herein by this reference, to control spool valves, to provide mechanical forces, and the like.

So far, the independently controllable electrodes 38 all lie in the plane of substrate 34. But, they may lie in different planes in a fashion similar to prior art plate type electrodes. In FIG. 7, the flow passages are stacked radially. Flow passage A is defined by electrodes 50 a and 50 b, parallel flow passage B is defined by electrodes 50 b and 50 c, and parallel flow passage C is defined by electrodes 50 c and 50 d. Electrodes 50 a and 50 c may be connected to ground and controller 52 is configured to selectively apply a high voltage to electrodes 50 b and/or 50 d. If, for example, a high voltage is applied to both electrodes 50 b and 50 d, no flow occurs and the valve is closed. If a high voltage is applied to neither electrode 50 b nor 50 d, then flow is not restricted by any electrical field and the valve is fully open. If a high voltage is applied to electrode 50 b but not electrode 50 d, or vice versa, then the flow through the valve is only partially restricted. That is, for a high voltage applied only to electrode 50 d, then flow passages A and B are open but flow passage C is closed.

FIGS. 8A-8B depict a manifold design wherein both the flow rate and flow direction can be selected. Here, substrate 60 includes grid electrodes 62 each, for example, comprising a square conductive land on a printed circuit board closely spaced to its neighboring electrodes. This manifold defines ports 64 a-64 k when a top electrode is closely spaced from substrate 60 (and using peripheral spacer/wall structures, not shown). The flow paths between the ports can be varied by selectively applying a voltage (or ground) to groups of grid electrodes. In FIG. 8A, electrode groups A, B, C, D, and E have a voltage applied to them which defines parallel flow passages connecting port 64 k with ports 64 b, 64 e, and 64 h; connecting port 64 c to port 64 d; and connecting port 64 f to port 64 g.

In FIG. 8B, different grid electrodes are energized resulting in different flow passage configurations. Thus, one of the two electrodes in the system is divided into a grid-like pattern and each grid electrode is independently controllable or, alternatively, groups of grid electrodes can be independently controlled. Such a valve can have multiple inputs and outputs rendering it a manifold. The pattern of activation of the grid electrodes can form variable width passages between the inputs and outputs and connect different inputs and outputs at different times. In essence, the valve becomes an on the fly programmable reconfigurable manifold. Such a valve will perform adequately with either the ground side or the high voltage side patterned as shown in the figures although patterning the ground electrode to include the grid electrodes appears to be preferable. In one example, the legs of a mobile walking robot can be controlled by such a manifold. The result is independently controllable electrodes defining multiple flow paths between a plurality of ports which can be selectively opened and closed.

The flow rate can be varied as between two ports by controlling how many grid electrodes in the flow path are left deenergized. For example, in FIG. 9A, the flow passages between ports 66 a and 66 b are two grid electrodes wide (all the other grid electrodes on substrate 60 having a high voltage applied to them) while in FIG. 9B flow path A is only one grid electrode wide.

FIG. 10 shows how substrate 70 can include irregularly shaped electrodes to meet the requirements of a valve or manifold as desired.

FIG. 11 depicts an example of the primary circuitry for controller 40, FIG. 3. Microprocessor 90 controls switches A, B, C, and D (relays or high voltage transistors) which selectively connect electrodes 38 a-38 d (see FIG. 3) to ground. Voltage source 92 is connected to continuous plate electrode 32 (in this example).

Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention. The words “including”, “comprising”, “having”, and “with” as used herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are not limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments disclosed in the subject application are not to be taken as the only possible embodiments.

In addition, any amendment presented during the prosecution of the patent application for this patent is not a disclaimer of any claim element presented in the application as filed: those skilled in the art cannot reasonably be expected to draft a claim that would literally encompass all possible equivalents, many equivalents will be unforeseeable at the time of the amendment and are beyond a fair interpretation of what is to be surrendered (if anything), the rationale underlying the amendment may bear no more than a tangential relation to many equivalents, and/or there are many other reasons the applicant can not be expected to describe certain insubstantial substitutes for any claim element amended.

Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrorheological (ER) fluid valve comprising: a housing including a first substrate, a second substrate, two or more external walls, and multiple input and output ports, wherein the first substrate includes spaced independently controllable electrodes, and the second substrate includes another electrode spaced from the first substrate; ER fluid capable of flowing in the housing; and a controller configured to selectively establish fields between the first and second substrates, for all of the spaced independently controllable electrodes to define a plurality of ER fluid flow passages through the housing, wherein each ER fluid flow passage connects a distinct set of one or more input ports with one or more output ports, and wherein the ER fluid flow passages are defined when the ER fluid reacts to the established fields.
 2. The ER fluid valve of claim 1 in which the housing is rectangular and includes multiple ports on each side.
 3. The ER fluid valve of claim 1 in which the spaced independently controllable electrodes are irregularly shaped.
 4. The ER fluid valve of claim 1 in which the controller is configured to selectively apply a voltage to the spaced independently controllable electrodes while the electrode in the second substrate remains grounded.
 5. The ER fluid valve of claim 1 in which the controller is configured to selectively ground the spaced independently controllable electrodes.
 6. An electrorheological (ER) fluid valve comprising: a housing including a first substrate, a second substrate, two or more external walls, and multiple input and output ports; an ER fluid capable of flowing in the housing; the first substrate including spaced individually controllable electrodes defining multiple discrete ER fluid flow passages for the ER fluid, the flow characteristics of which are altered by an electrical field applied by at least one of the spaced individual controllable electrodes; and the second substrate including another electrode, spaced from the first substrate, for establishing multiple electrical fields with the spaced individually controllable electrodes to define select discrete ER fluid flow passages, wherein each discrete ER fluid flow passage connects a distinct set of one or more input ports with one or more output ports, and wherein the ER fluid flow passages are defined when the ER fluid reacts to the established fields.
 7. The ER fluid valve of claim 6 in which at least some of the spaced individually controllable electrodes and discrete ER fluid flow passages extend continuously along the first substrate.
 8. The ER fluid valve of claim 6 in which the first substrate is made of an insulated material and the spaced individually controllable electrodes are spaced conductive traces on the insulated material.
 9. An electrorheological (ER) fluid valve comprising: a housing including a first substrate, a second substrate, two or more external walls, and multiple input and output ports; an ER fluid capable of flowing in the housing; the first substrate including spaced electrodes; the second substrate including a second electrode spaced from the first substrate; and a plurality of discrete ER fluid flow passages through the housing each independently defined by the spaced electrodes, at least one of which is controllable independently of the other spaced electrodes, wherein the spaced electrodes are independently controllable to restrict flow of ER fluid through the housing by establishing electrical fields between the spaced electrodes and the second electrode to open and close at least some of the discrete ER fluid flow passages, wherein each ER fluid flow passage connects a distinct set of one or more input ports with one or more output ports.
 10. A flow manifold comprising: a housing including a plurality of input ports and output ports; ER fluid capable of flowing in the housing; a first substrate associated with the housing including a plurality of independently controllable electrodes; a second substrate associated with the housing including at least another electrode, spaced from the first substrate; multiple discrete ER fluid flow passages, between said plurality of input ports and output ports, which can be selectively opened and closed when electrical fields are established between the independently controllable electrodes and the at least another electrode, wherein each ER fluid flow passage connects a distinct set of one or more input ports with one or more output ports.
 11. The flow manifold of claim 10 further including a controller configured to selectively control said independently controllable electrodes to block select discrete ER fluid flow passages.
 12. A method comprising: providing a housing comprising a substrate including multiple adjacent discrete ER fluid flow passage electrodes, and a second electrode spaced from the substrate; flowing an ER fluid through the housing; defining, through the housing, a plurality of discrete ER fluid flow passages by the multiple spaced discrete ER fluid flow passage electrodes, at least one of which for each discrete ER fluid flow passage is controllable independently of other discrete ER fluid flow passage electrodes, wherein the housing includes multiple input and output ports; and restricting flow of ER fluid through the housing by establishing electrical fields for select independently controllable discrete ER fluid flow passage electrodes to close their associated discrete ER fluid flow passages, wherein each ER fluid flow passage connects a distinct set of one or more input ports with one or more output ports.
 13. The method of claim 12 in which some the discrete ER fluid flow passages share the second electrode.
 14. The method of claim 12 in which the electrical field is established between spaced discrete ER fluid flow passage electrodes of a select discrete ER fluid flow passage by applying a voltage to an independently controllable discrete ER fluid flow passage electrode while grounding the second electrode.
 15. The method of claim 12 in which establishing the electrical field between spaced discrete ER fluid flow passage electrodes of the discrete ER fluid flow passage includes selectively grounding the independently controllable electrode and applying a voltage to the second electrode spaced therefrom.
 16. A method comprising: providing a housing wherein an electrorheological (ER) fluid can flow, the housing including a plurality of input ports and output ports; providing, on a first substrate of the housing, a plurality of independently controllable electrodes defining multiple discrete ER fluid flow passages between a plurality of input ports and output ports which can be selectively opened and closed to define the ER fluid flow passages, wherein each ER fluid flow passage connects a distinct set of one or more input ports with one or more output ports; providing a second substrate including at least another electrode spaced from the independently controllable electrodes, wherein the ER fluid flow passages are defined by establishing electrical fields between the independently controllable electrodes and the at least another electrode.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising: selectively controlling said independently controllable electrodes to block select discrete ER fluid flow passages in the housing to selectively open and close select ports of the housing. 